University of Fredericton to offer free online OHS course to those negatively impacted by oil and gas industry downturn

FREDERICTON, June 29, 2016 /CNW/ - The University of Fredericton (UFred) is pleased to announce that it will be offering the first course in its online Certificate in Health, Safety, and Environmental Processes (CHSEP) program for free to those who have been negatively impacted by the downturn in the oil and gas industry.

"Over the past year, we've been consistently hearing that there are professionals in oil and gas who would like to continue their education, but do not have the financial means" said University of Fredericton President Don Roy, "health and safety is of utmost importance within this industry, making it imperative that educational opportunities are still available."

The course available, CHSE 0300 Risk Assessment, is one of twelve courses within the program and is delivered completely online. Students have ten weeks to complete the course but can do so on a self-paced schedule, completing content as they have time.

The course examines several basic risk assessment skills and tools that enable employees closest to risks to deal with them proactively. Learners will also discover how to apply these tools by becoming familiar with the process, needed resources, and practical examples for each method of risk assessment.

"Our hope is that those who have been negatively impacted by the economic downturn are still able to enhance their skills so that they can be better prepared to create safer workplaces" said Shawna-Raye Endresen, Program Manager for the Certificate in Health, Safety and Environmental Processes program, "the course is a great introduction to the program, particularly for those who may be new to this particular field within the industry."

The free course is made possible through a bursary fund established at UFred for this purpose, and applications are being accepted immediately. Those who wish to take advantage of the tuition relief bursary must submit a Letter of Intent indicating their interest in pursuing the program, and detail how they have been negatively impacted by the industry's downturn, by July 29^th. Students will be enroled in the program the following Monday, and will have ten weeks to complete the course.

For more information, please visit getstarted.ufred.ca/UFred-CHSEP-Bursary

About the University of Fredericton

The University of Fredericton (UFred) is a fully online Canadian University headquartered in Fredericton, New Brunswick. UFred offers certificate, diploma, and degree programs that emphasize leadership development and lifelong learning for upwardly mobile professionals.

For more information, visit www.UFred.ca

SOURCE University of Fredericton

Media Contact: Sarah Chiasson, Marketing and Communications Manager, University of Fredericton, 506-454-6232 ext. 224, [email protected]